14 Established 1961 Sports Monday, June 28, 2021 Redemption or ridicule awaits Southgate in Germany clash

LONDON: Twenty-five years on from the penal- earned the FA’s trust, but some of the public ty miss that cast a shadow over his playing remain unconvinced. career, England manager has a shot at redemption and revenge against Attacking talent Germany. Euro 2020’s blockbuster last 16 clash Despite topping Group D with seven points comes much earlier in the tournament than the from a possible nine, a return of just two goals Euro 96 semi-final between the pair when from three games has not impressed the England Southgate was the only one of 12 players unable fans on their return to Wembley. A 0-0 draw with to find the net from the spot. Scotland was met with a chorus of boos, while But with a favorable route to the final for the social media has been littered with criticism of victors and England enjoying home advantage at Southgate for being too conservative with such an Wembley tomorrow and the semi-finals and final array of attacking talent. should they get there, the pressure is on The use of two holding in Declan Southgate to deliver. “I hope we can do it for him Rice and Kalvin Phillips and the manager’s faith in as well so he can get his own revenge,” said Harry Kane and Raheem Sterling means there has England Declan Rice. only been two places available for , Southgate himself has tried to get his England Phil Foden, , Marcus Rashford, team to look forward not back, especially given Mason Mount and Bukayo Saka to fight for. the Three Lions’ record against Germany in major Sancho’s limited involvement of just six minutes tournaments. Since lifting the World Cup in 1966, as a late substitute against the Czech Republic has England have never won a knockout game against baffled German observers, who have seen him the four-time world champions, losing at the 1970, develop into a player United are set to spend £85 1990 and 2010 World Cups on top of the pain of million ($118 million) on during his four years in Euro 96. “There’s no point fearing the past,” the with Borussia . “We just Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford said have so many good attacking players,” Southgate this week. “You can’t go back and change it. What said in defense of Sancho’s lack of minutes. But we can change is the result of the next game.” that has so far not been borne out at a tournament BURTON-ON-TRENT: England’s coach Gareth Southgate (third left) leads a training session of his team at Southgate already has so much credit in the England arrived at with far higher expectations St George’s Park in Burton-on-Trent yesterday. —AFP bank with his employers that Football Association than in Russia three years ago. chief executive Mark Bullingham told reporters on Southgate has reportedly been influenced by Friday he wants to extend his contract, which runs the manner in which Portugal won Euro 2016 and ever been so confident ahead of a meeting against strike snatched a 2-2 draw against Hungary. End until after the 2022 World Cup, regardless of France lifted the World Cup three years ago Germany. his country’s and his personal hoodoo against tomorrow’s result. An unexpected run to the 2018 where a solid defense built the foundation for the Joachim Loew’s men were six minutes away Germany and Southgate will have a nation on his World Cup semi-finals and Southgate’s impressive likes of and Kylian Mbappe to from exiting at the group stage for a second side once more. Defeat and five years of progress leadership on a series of off the field matters has win games further forward. Rarely have England straight tournament before Leon Goretzka’s late will quickly be forgotten. —AFP

Paul George led the Clippers with 23 points and 16 Suns go wire-to-wire rebounds while Reggie Jackson had 20 points and Ivica Zubac finished with 13 points and 14 rebounds in front of a crowd of 18,200 at Staples Center arena in England v Germany: to seize commanding downtown Los Angeles. Booker was eight of 22 from the field and zero of 3-1 series lead five from three-point range as he had to adjust to play- Matches that fostered ing with a plastic face guard to protect a broken nose LOS ANGELES: Devin Booker scored 25 points and he suffered in a collision with Clippers guard Patrick historic rivalry Chris Paul made several clutch free throws in the wan- Beverley in game two. “I believe in this team,” Booker ing moments as the Phoenix Suns held for an 84-80 said. “It was a close one but we came out with the win. LONDON: England’s rivalry with Germany will be win over Los Angeles, putting the Clippers on the “We rely on our defense. To hold a team like that to 80 rekindled on Tuesday in a blockbuster Euro 2020 last- brink of elimination from the NBA playoffs. points on their home court is impressive.” 16 clash at Wembley. The greatest day in the Three The Suns led wire-to-wire but it was far from easy Booker removed the face mask for the second half, Lions’ history came against at the same as they led by as many as 16 points in the third but saw saying it was difficult to get into a flow with it on. The stadium in 1966 but since then England have never that dwindle to just one in the fourth when both teams Clippers once again played without their star Kawhi LOS ANGELES: Chris Paul #3 of the Phoenix Suns cele- beaten the four-time world champions in a knockout struggled to score, combining for just 29 points in the Leonard but Jackson has stepped up to fill some of the brates during Game 4 of the Western Conference match at a major tournament. AFP Sport looks at five quarter. void. Jackson came into game four averaging 23 points Finals of the 2021 NBA Playoffs on Saturday at STA- classic clashes that fostered a historic rivalry. Paul had vowed to be better in game four and he in the games Leonard has been out. PLES Center in Los Angeles, California. —AFP was, scoring 18 points, dishing out seven assists and “I have to play better offensively,” Jackson said. 1966 - England 4 West Germany 2 making five free throws in the final 10 seconds as the “We have to move the ball and find easy shots. And the scored a basket. The Suns outscored the Clippers 15- England are aiming to end 55 years of hurt without Suns seized a commanding 3-1 lead in the best-of-sev- ones we had tonight will probably go in the next 14 in the final quarter. winning a major tournament on July 11. ’s en Western Conference finals. “We still got a ways to game.” Leonard has not played since suffering a right The Clippers were unable to rally from a 2-0 deficit hat-trick in 1966 is part of football folklore in his home- go but it felt good to get one here,” said Paul, who knee sprain in game four of the previous round. to tie the series like they did in each of the first two land but not so fondly remembered in Germany due to recently returned from COVID-19 isolation. “This was rounds of the postseason. They must now win three controversy over the crucial third England goal. a tough environment. My nerves are better out here Anemic offense straight games in order to reach their first ever NBA After 90 minutes the sides were level at 2-2 playing than they are at home watching.” This was one of the lowest-scoring games of finals. George shot just five of 20 from the floor, made thanks to Wolfgang Weber’s last-minute equaliser Deandre Ayton finished with 19 points and 22 these playoffs thanks to strong defensive play mixed just 12 of 18 free throws and missed eight of nine from for the Germans. Hurst’s second goal came when his rebounds and Mikal Bridges chipped in six points and in with some poor shooting by both teams in the three-point range. Asked if his players were tired, shot bounced down off the underside of the bar and 13 rebounds for the Suns, who are one win away from fourth quarter. With Booker sitting on the bench Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said, “It could be. But no Tofiq Bahramov, a linesman from Azerbaijan, award- reaching their first NBA finals since 1993. Game five is because of too many fouls, the game went through a excuses. At this time of the season guys could be tired. ed the goal. tonight in Phoenix. four-minute stretch in the fourth where neither team But we have to fight through.” —AFP Hurst completed his hat-trick in the final minute of extra-time with a strike remembered for Kenneth Wolstenholme’s iconic BBC TV commentary. “Some people are on the pitch, they think it’s all over,” cried Wolstenholme. “It is now, it’s four!” Kuwait SC wins GCC basketball championship Championship leader

1970 - England 2 West Germany 3 Quartararo wins Germany got their revenge four years later as they came from behind to outlast the world champions in the Dutch MotoGP searing Mexican heat. Alan Mullery and Martin Peters put England 2-0 in front but, inspired by Franz ASSEN: Yamaha’s Frenchman Fabio Quartararo won Beckenbauer’s strike to half the deficit, the Germans yesterday’s Dutch MotoGP to stretch his lead at the levelled late on through Uwe Seeler’s header. Gerd top of the drivers’ standings with a dominant dis- Mueller thrashed home the winner in extra-time. play in Assen. Two Spaniards in Maverick Vinales and champion Joan Mir completed the podium as 1990 - England 1 West Germany Quartararo claimed his fourth race victory of the 1 - West Germany win 4-3 on penalties campaign before the mid-season break. England’s painful relationship with penalty Quartararo, 22, in just his third term at the top shootouts began at Italia 90 when Bobby Robson’s men got to within touching distance of the World Cup final table of racing extended his advantage to 34 points for just the second time. cancelled out ahead of second-placed Johann Zarco, who had to Andreas Brehme’s deflected free-kick to take the game contend with a fourth place in the Netherlands. to spot-kicks in Turin. Frenchman Zarco is now on 122 points with Italian But and Chris Waddle became the first Francesco Bagnaia on 109. in a long line of England players to become syn- Yamaha’s Vinales started on pole after setting a onomous with missing penalties while the Germans new track record during Saturday’s qualifying but it were flawless as they went on to win the World Cup for was his team-mate Quartararo who dominated the a third time. race throughout. Quartararo, nicknamed ‘El Diablo’, celebrated his success by hitting a golf ball with 1996 - England 1 Germany club on the track after the race in reference to a 1 - Germany win 6-5 on penalties video he posted on social midweek. Six years later on home soil, England suffered the Seven-time champion Valentino Rossi failed to same result from the spot with current manager finish after falling off his bike with seven laps to go. Gareth Southgate the only man to miss as again the DUBAI: Kuwait SC players and staff celebrate with the trophy. —KUNA Earlier, Kalex’s Spaniard Raul Fernandez moved Germans progressed to a final they would win. The within 31 points of overall Moto2 leader Remy Three Lions were riding the crest of a wave coming Gardner after clinching victory. into the last four. DUBAI: Kuwait SC on Saturday managed to beat this tournament following fierce competition between Saudi Arabia’s Al-Nasser basketball team 96-85 to be both sides, to qualify for the Asian Club Championship Fernandez edged team-mate and Australian “Football’s Coming Home” was the soundtrack to the Gardner in second as fellow country-man Augusto summer as England saw off Scotland, the Netherlands crowned the winner of the 40th GCC Champions Club to be held in August in Indonesia. Kuwait SC had Fernandez claimed a podium clean-sweep for the and Spain to reach the European Championship semi- Championship. For the second time, Kuwait SC won grabbed this title for the first time in 2003. —KUNA finals. opened the scoring early to cement German outfit. Up to 11,500 spectators were his status as the tournament’s top scorer before Stefan allowed into the track at Assen, and they saw Italian Kuntz quickly leveled. Chances came and went for both Dennis Foggia win the Moto3. The next event of the sides in a tense 120 minutes, but it was Southgate who Katsuta with the Estonian Ott Tanak third in his season is the Styrian Grand Prix on August 8, which was the fall guy when his spot-kick was saved by Ogier wins Safari Hyundai. It is Ogier’s 53rd career victory and his is set to welcome full stands of fans. —AFP Andreas Koepke. fourth this season, putting the Frenchman in control of his quest to collect an eighth title. 2010 - Germany 4 England 1 Rally after Neuville, who held a 57-second lead overnight Germany got their revenge for Hurst’s controversial over Takamoto Katsuta, also in a Toyota, arrived at 1966 goal in South Africa in 2010. and Neuville retirement the end of the first stage with a severely damaged put Germany 2-0 up as Germany made right rear suspension, having lost one minute over 11 a blistering start in Bloemfontein but NAIROBI: Sebastien Ogier extended his lead at the kilometers. “It’s heartbreaking to end the WE pulled a goal back. head of the World Rally Championship title race (weekend) like this,” said Neuville on Twitter. “We ’s shot then struck the underside of with victory in the Safari Rally in Kenya yesterday. had to retire after our suspension broke in SS14 this the bar and clearly bounced over the line. But in the Ogier benefitted from the early retirement of morning. This is how it is but I feel sad for us and days prior to goalline technology, the officials waved overnight leader Thierry Neuville who broke his the team. I think we all did the job and everybody is play on. Germany’s youthful generation, who would go working very hard. There’s no one to blame and we ASSEN: French rider Fabio Quartararo celebrates on on to win the World Cup four years later, cut loose after right rear shock absorber during the day’s first spe- will continue to push.” The seventh round of the his Yamaha after winning the MotoGP race at the TT the break, with Thomas Mueller scoring twice. —AFP cial stage. Frenchman Ogier came home 21.8 sec- onds ahead of his Toyota teammate Takamoto WRC takes place in Estonia from July 15-18. —AFP circuit of Assen, the Netherlands, yesterday. —AFP